


Love Is Like Playing Where's Wally In The Dark

by bejesusness



Category: Torchwood
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, the rest of the gang is here but they only have like one line each
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-08
Updated: 2019-06-08
Packaged: 2020-04-23 03:56:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,955
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19143076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bejesusness/pseuds/bejesusness
Summary: What's worse than being threatened by a fish? Try finding out that Jack Harkness is your soulmate.





	Love Is Like Playing Where's Wally In The Dark

**Author's Note:**

> Warnings: mentions of sex, mentions of past suicidal ideation
> 
> I wrote this a while ago but finally got around to editing it into something decent here you go

Ianto Jones figured himself to be a pretty regular guy. He was as average as they come, ever since he was a kid. He got good grades, got into a good college, and he was only arrested once (on only a minor charge). Ianto hung out with his normal friends and they talked about normal things that friends talk about- campus gossip, the bands they like to listen to, and of course, their soul-marks.

“What about yours, Ianto?” asked Kim from across the table as they sat with their coffees and pastries in a cozy little cafe.

Ianto looked between his two friends and answered, “It, uh, mine says ‘Javic’.” He hated how shy he sounded saying it. He wasn’t shy, it’s just that thinking of his soul-mate made him feel… funny. Not in a bad way, of course, but not quite good either. It was just the uncertainty of it all. Ianto didn’t know anyone named Javic. Didn’t even know it was an actual name until he saw it printed over his heart.

“Javic? What is that, Icelandic or something?” asked Thom between bites of his muffin.

Kim perked up. “Maybe you’ll travel the world and meet them somewhere along the way.”

“Yeah, right,” said Ianto. “You know how much it costs to travel? I had a hard enough time saving up for college.”

“Right.” Kim thought for a moment “Well, maybe you’ll land some high-class job and make loads of money.”

“Or Javic could travel here,” Thom said. “They could be living here already.”

Kim playfully punched Thom in the arm. “Oh, Thom, you’re no fun. At least let me dream.”

Ianto quirked an eyebrow. “You do realize it’s my life you’re dreaming about, right?”

“Hush, Ianto. You’re just as bad,” Kim pouted. “No sense of romance.”

 

Despite his friend’s dreams for him, Ianto’s university experience ended up being uneventful. He never travelled. He never met anyone named Javic. He tried not to worry about it too much.

Then he joined Torchwood, and Ianto’s life got significantly more interesting. One thing lead to another and then Ianto Jones found himself being threatened by a blowfish. 

But his day got even stranger. Jack came back. Ianto’s heart flipped when he saw him and he hated that Jack could make him feel like that without even trying. He hated the jealousy he felt when Jack’s ex showed up. He hated the name over his heart and wished Javic would just show up already so Ianto wouldn’t have to have his heart yanked around by Jack Harkness anymore. Ianto hated that he was kind of glad that Javic didn’t show.

Jack’s ex turned out to be untrustworthy (surprising no one, except maybe Gwen who tried much too hard to see the good in people). But then she slugged him one and Ianto was proud of her for that. At least someone got to knock his pretty face in.

The rift reset. John Hart was leaving. Everything would be okay.

But then John turned around, blew a kiss right at Jack, said, “See you, Javic,” and vanished. 

See you, Javic. 

There was no way it could be anyone else. Jack Harkness was his soul-mate. 

And Ianto was pissed.

Ianto spun around to face Jack. It took him a moment to find his voice. “It was you.” 

Jack stood still, his eyes focused on Ianto’s, but didn’t say anything. He didn’t even change his expression. 

Ianto changed his inflection and made it a question, “This whole time, it was you?”

“Yes,” Jack confirmed.

Ianto closed his eyes and took a breath. He shoved all the feelings he was having into a box and sealed that box inside another box and put on his ever-reliable mask, the one that presented him as just-the-teaboy, with whom there is nothing wrong; pay him no mind. He turned around and calmly walked away. The team watched him go.

“Ianto?” Tosh called, taking a step forward. 

Ianto paused and turned to give her a smile that he knew would look incredibly forced. But it would let her know that he would be okay. Eventually. He exited from the roof. The safe way, via the stairs.

“What was that about?” Gwen asked no one in particular.

“Oi,” Owen said, “Isn’t it his job to help clean up this mess?”

“Leave it,” said Jack, “I think he needs his space for a while.”

Gwen turned round to face Jack. “But why-”

“I said leave it.”

 

After what Ianto figured was probably about an hour, Jack finally opened the door. He walked over to the edge of the seemingly random-chosen roof and stood beside Ianto where he sat looking out across the city. Ianto just kept staring ahead.

“Ianto?” Jack asked hesitantly.

“How’d you find me?”

“When I didn’t find you at any of the obvious places, I went to the top of the tower to see if I could spot you from there. By the shadows cast, it looked like someone was up here. I couldn’t tell for sure if it was you until I got here.”

“Why not just track my phone? Would have been easier than playing  _ Where’s Wally _ in the dark.”

“I didn’t want to invade your privacy,” Jack said, then continued with a lighter tone and absolutely no tact: “Besides, that’d be cheating.” 

Ianto really wasn’t in the mood to put up with, well, just Jack in general, but for some reason, when Jack asked to sit beside him, Ianto said, “Sure.” 

They sat side by side in silence for a few peaceful seconds. And then Jack opened his mouth. “If you really hadn’t wanted to be found, I wouldn’t have found you.”

Ianto interpreted it as a statement in no need of a reply.

Once Jack realised Ianto wasn’t going to respond, he tried again. “So why here? I thought roofs were my thing.”

Ianto sighed. “About a year ago, after I lost Lisa, the second time, I came up to this exact roof with every intention to jump.”

Jack became alert. “Ianto-”

“I’m not suicidal now, don’t worry. My point is, the last time I was here, I talked myself out of making an incredibly stupid decision.”

“...And the decision you’re trying to make this time?”

“You.” Ianto looked over at Jack, saw that he was confused, and went on, “Just because you’re my soul-mate doesn’t mean I have to be with you. I don’t have to have anything to do with you if I don’t want to. I’m going to decide for myself what I do with my life and whether there’s a place for you in it. I suppose I can hear your side of things now that I’ve cooled off a bit. But I am still angry about the whole thing.”

Jack nodded. “Of course. You have every right to be.”

“Well, I’ve cleared my head a bit. So go ahead and state your case.”

Jack took a moment to collect his thoughts. “Well, I never wanted you to find out like this. I should have told you myself.”

“You definitely should have.”

“And I’m really sorry.”

“Save your apologies until the end. Right now I want an explanation.”

“Okay,” Jack said, “When we started our not-relationship, it was just comfort we couldn’t get from anywhere else. Warm bodies on a cold night. It wasn’t supposed to mean anything.”

“I know. I set the rules.”

“And you were very clear about it. So the first time we got together and I saw my name on your body, I didn’t say anything. I thought it was the right thing to do at the time.”

Ianto considered this. “Alright, I’ll give you that one. Continue.”

“Well, we kept seeing each other and our not-relationship felt like it was becoming an almost-relationship and while I’ve had a major crush on you since we caught Myfanwy, I had no idea how you felt about me and I couldn’t remember if your rules were rules or guidelines or if they were even still in play. And it got harder and harder to say anything. I didn’t know how to bring it up. I had planned on asking you out, and if you said yes and wanted that kind of relationship, I was going to tell you after the date. Hopefully.”

“Hopefully?”

“Well, uh, I had chickened out a few times before.”

“But you were going to tell me?”

“Of course,” Jack said without hesitation.

“So now it’s just down to whether I believe you or not, then.”

Jack’s face fell. “You don’t believe me?”

“Well,” Ianto said, “it’s quite easy to say you were going to do something after someone else already did it for you.”

“...That’s fair.”

“For what it’s worth, I want to believe you, but even if I do, what’s the best that could happen?” 

“Best case scenario?” Jack thought on it for a moment. “We become a couple and stay that way for as long as you want, and one day in the far future, you’ll die of old age having lived a happy life and I’ll remember you forever and cherish the memories we made together.”

Ianto, aghast, whipped his head around to face him. “Jack, you can’t just say something like that!”

“You wanted best case scenario.”

“It’s not realistic.”

“Sure, Torchwood agents tend to die young, but there’s been a handful who’ve lived long enough to die naturally. And I would do anything I can to prevent you from an untimely death. Any of you.” 

“I know. That’s not what I mean, Jack. You could be around until the end of time itself. There’s no way you’d remember me in a thousand years, let alone forever.”

“Of course I’ll remember you forever. You’re incredible. And brilliant.” Jack took Ianto’s hand in his own. “You’re handsome as hell, sarcastic, kind-hearted and caring, even with all you have to put up with day to day. You’re selfless, loyal, you make the best coffee I’ve had in my unnaturally long life. You only shoot when absolutely necessary. You single-handedly keep the hub functioning. And I’ve got your name above my heart to always remind me of all that.”

“My name?”

“Yeah, you’re my soul-mate. I thought you’d figured that out.”

“No, I can’t read it.”

“It’s my first language. Boeshanian English. But, besides the mark, I still thought you knew.”

“How would I?” 

“When you found out I was Javic.”

“Just because you’re my soul-mate, that doesn’t mean I have to be yours. You’re-you’re immortal. God, you’re immortal.”

“And it doesn’t change a thing. I love you, Ianto.”

“This is a lot. Wow. And it’s all true? This is real?”

“Yes. But if you don’t want to-”

“Shut up.” Ianto leaned in and pressed his lips to Jack’s. Then they separated and stared at each other until a breeze ruffled their hair and brought them back to reality.

“You kissed me,” Jack said softly.

“I did,” Ianto replied.

“Is this okay? Are we okay?”

“Only if you promise to never lie to me again.”

“I didn’t lie.”

“It was a lie of omission.”

Jack yielded, “... Alright, it was.”

“I’m not asking you to tell me all your secrets,” Ianto said, “Just the things that concern me. I don’t lie to you. Not one lie since then.” The Lisa incident went unspoken, but they both remembered it well. 

Jack took Ianto’s hands in his own again and looked deep into his eyes as he made a vow to his soul-mate. “I promise. No lies, no keeping you in the dark, no twisting the truth. Not to you.”

Ianto smiled. “Thank you.”

“Ianto?”

“Yeah?”

“Can I apologize now?”

“Sure.”

“I’m so sorry. For all of this.”

“I forgive you.”

  
  
  



End file.
